You are here:

Abbot Primate Wolf visits SLU

October 17, 2006

The highest ranking Benedictine in the world, Abbot Primate
Notker Wolf, O.S.B., who answers directly to Pope Benedict XVI,
believes his job is to take care of the poor. Living a life of
travel, he has taken a vow of mobility to visit Benedictine’s
abbeys and monasteries and explain Pope Benedict’s quest to teach
the liturgy and the Saint Benedict Educational Foundation.

Father Wolf visited Holy Name Monastery, the Saint
Leo Abbey, met with the Benedictine and Saint Leo University
communities, spoke with the press and toured Saint Leo University
on Oct. 17.

Father Wolf believes that discipline will challenge people to
think of different ways to structure monastic life for the future.
“The world is my home,' he said.

Father Wolf spoke of his love for music, education and the arts.
He plays guitar in a rock band and sees it as a way to stay in
touch with young people. He also spoke of how to eliminate fear in
your life. “We only fear what we can’t have or we think we can’t
have,' he said.

His monastery is the Saint Anselmo Monastery in Rome, housing the
Pontifical Institute of Liturgy.

Born in Unterallgäu, Bavaria on June 21, 1940, Father Notker Wolf
has been an abbot for 27 years. For the last four years, he has
served as the Primate. He is fluent in English, German, French,
Spanish, Latin and Greek. He also studied Hebrew, can read
Portuguese and Dutch and is now studying Croatian. He was elected
top Abbot Primate four years ago.

Father Wolf is concerned about the role of adolescents in today’s
society. Young people are concerned, he said. They know that
something is happening. “Did you know that the Romans sent their
youths to be educated with the Benedictines?' he asked. “We believe
in educating the whole person.'